1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to Home Network telephony and, more particularly, to a system and method for controlling privacy in a Home Network telephone system.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a conventional analog residential telephone system, a user taking a telephone off-hook will join any call currently active on that residential line. In prior art business private branch exchange (PBX) networks having a call manager and distribution system, whenever a new extension goes off-hook, it is connected to the next free external line, and will not join any existing call. However, PBX networks are intended for business use, and typically only have a private mode of operation.
Although Home Network telephone systems have only recently emerged, as yet there appears to be no established process for protecting the privacy of an initial caller, if a second endpoint takes a busy external line off-hook. That is, conventional Home Network systems do not support any kind of privacy mode. The only mode conceived in current Home Network phone systems is the public mode, which mimics some analog telephone line behaviors, although not the change in impedance (volume) that occurs as phones are taken off and on line.
It would be advantageous if a Home Network telephone system existed that supported a private, as well as a public mode of operation.